Crewed Insider:
Crewed Yacht Of The Month
MYSTIC SOUL
The perfect choice for a Virgin Islands yacht charter for 4 discerning guests: MYSTIC SOUL!
Look to Horizon to produce such a spacious and commodious 52′ power cat. Mystic Soul’s design is nothing less than stellar! Beneath the proven hull design are two exquisite guest queen suites and a spacious saloon and galley. Couple that with a large flybridge and helm station and ample aft cockpit deck, and you have the recipe for a fine charter yacht.
Mystic Soul has two fantastic crew members – Captain Phil and Chef Audrey. Phil will make sure you see the best spots in the BVI, and Chef Audrey will prepare amazing meals, tailored around your personal preferences and requests. She also works with a local sommelier to offer elevated “wine pairings” with each of your meals!
Mystic Soul offers two beautiful cabins with queen beds and en-suite heads. The salon and galley are an open-concept design, with plenty of comfortable seating areas to relax. The aft deck offers a large dining table, perfect for enjoying Chef Audrey’s amazing meals al-fresco!
She is the perfect option for 2 couples or a family of 4 who are looking to enjoy a fully all-inclusive crewed charter!
Mystic Soul is the complete package for a dream sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands!
Your All-Inclusive Charter on Mystic Soul Includes:
4 Guests in 2 Cabins
2 En-suite Bathrooms
Full Air Conditioning
Ice Maker
Water Maker
Wine Pairings
Onboard WIFI
14′ Dinghy 60HP Outboard
Snorkeling Gear
Water Skis
Wake Board
Stand-Up Paddle Boards
Kayaks
Floating Sun Island
3x Sea Bobs
Fishing Gear
Captain Philip and Chef Audrey are a fun, professional, kind and approachable couple who have been working together for the past 5 years. They are both obsessed with customer service and thrive to enrich every guest’s experience by making it unique and memorable. They aim to deliver a stress-free holiday for families, couples, friends – or whoever may be seeking an inimitable journey adorned with life lasting souvenirs.
Captain Philip was born in England and was introduced to sailing dinghies and windsurfing on the broads at a very young age. He first stepped aboard yachts as a toddler and has progressively turned his passion into an established career. Working professionally across the globe and logging over 20,000 miles, his experience spans everything from 20ft clippers to superyachts. He aims to instill the immortal words of Wind in the Willows into others: “There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” In his spare time Philip can be seen pursuing his musical passions and traveling the world.
Chef Audrey was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, and has spent the last 8 years working as a cook professionally. She has always had a profound passion about the culinary arts with years of customer service and hospitality experience. Chef Audrey aims to provide a high level of service, catering to everyone’s dietary needs and requests. Audrey started working as a freelance chef on chartered yachts in 2016 and has never looked back – she is very inclined towards fusion cuisine, passionate about fine dining and artistic plating… after all, we eat with the eyes first!
Fun Times On The Water!
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…send us your pictures/videos when you submit your charter review!
Captain Only Charter In US Virgin Islands
VI Sailing Team
“As a last-minute booker, VI Sailing was very responsive and made the booking experience very easy.”
Yacht & Crew
We sailed on the Freestyle. Capt. Chris was a consummate professional, extraordinary captain and very easy to get along with.
He was very accommodating to our schedule and laid back attitude made the pace of our trip our own.
We felt as though we had our own private guide and local at every stop we made with excellent recommendations for shopping, restaurants and snorkeling.
– Chris Sommers
Bareboat Charter in British Virgin Islands
VI Sailing Team
“We have worked with VI Sailing more than a few times now and have found Joann in particular excellent to communicate with and book BVI Yacht charters through.”
Yacht & Crew
We have got to know Abby, Cassie, and Kimie quite well over the years and we find them excellent. This time we got to know Kitt and Nelson who were available to us when we wanted them.
We have rented Goin’ Coastal before and it was in the same as last time. Well maintained and in good working order.
We have been to the BVI’s now at least 4-5 times. Really good place to sail and to eat out with variety. Normally excellent weather conditions for novice and experienced sailors.
– Robert Miles
Crewed Charter in US Virgin Islands
VI Sailing Team
“Very helpful and kept us informed about any updates, especially regarding covid entry requirements.”
Yacht & Crew
“Devan and Davis could not be more accommodating. We all left like we added them both to our families.
Their energy and commitment to service and detail was simply unbelievable.
Both of them prepared meals that were outstanding. Never would use anyone else.
The areas we chartered in all were very beautiful. They guided us around St. Croix for a tour to all the fun spots.”
– Scott Teepe
Bareboat Insider:
2023 Virgin Islands Cruising Guide
The 2023 Cruising Guide has arrived at our office! One of the many benefits of booking your charter (bareboat or crewed yacht) with Virgin Island Sailing® is receiving a VI Sailing Complimentary Planning Package. The package includes the Cruising Guide book and planning chart, a Franko Maps water proof snorkel and dive chart that pinpoints and describes all of the snorkel and dive sites, plus a waterproof fish identification card that you can bring on your snorkel and dive adventures. The complimentary package varies for other destinations, but always includes the Cruising Guide book for that area.
The ‘Cruising Guide’ book has been an essential tool for sailors and vacationers in the Virgin Islands for 40 years. This 2023 British and US Virgin Islands edition is packed with the latest information on navigation (including key GPS coordinates), customs and immigration regulations, weather, communications, marinas, chandleries, dive services, shore-side services, provisioning, and an indispensable wealth of other valuable information.
The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands is filled with detailed charts of the various anchorages, supported with colorful aerial photography in addition to piloting, anchoring and shoreside information. The Island Connections sections provide valuable telephone, email and website information to make finding island businesses, services and restaurants effortless. Additionally, the guide includes a free, fold-out color 27” x 17” planning chart covering the British and U.S. Virgin Islands.
This guide covers the Virgin Islands including all the U.S. and British Virgin Islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and all the smaller islands in between.
Book your charter now to receive the 2023 Virgin Islands Cruising Guide package!
News & Events:
BITTER END RE-OPENING 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
Enthusiasm keeps building as Bitter End’s reopening continues to be a success!
An epic landmark resort in the British Virgin Islands since the 1960s re-opened its doors on Oct. 18th, 2021 to fans who had been waiting five years to moor in its waters, dock in its slips, sip a rum punch and take in a sunset at the end of the day.
Bitter End Yacht Club, on the far northeastern tip of Virgin Gorda overlooking North Sound, was torn asunder by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Following 20 months of demolition and cleanup of the resort’s 64 acres, which included the removal of more than 100 structures, the resort launched its rebuilding project in June 2019.
“Our island outpost was destroyed, but no storm could extinguish the Bitter End’s spirit,” said Lauren Hokin, a founding family member of the property that opened in 1969. It still remains a family business.
“Supported by a tight-knit community spread across the globe, we salvaged everything we could to build back better than ever,” she said.
The same laid-back feel is still there at the BEYC’s pubs, restaurants, and watersports center, which helped make it such a wonderful location to spend a day or three.
You will see the row of updated buildings beneath the steep green slope and the masts of the boats docked in the new marina as you sail down North Sound. There are 70 moorings in front, and the resort will take reservations for up to 15 of them. First come, first served applies to the remaining ones.
When you arrive, you’ll register at the brand-new Quarterdeck facility before heading upstairs for that long-awaited Painkiller. The Village Plaza, right across the street, offers outdoor dining at the Clubhouse restaurant. After eating, you can burn off some of your lunch at the brand-new watersports facility, which has a fleet of kayaks, paddleboards, kiteboards, and dinghies. The Reeftique Boutique can help you if you’re looking for beachwear, swimwear, sunglasses to replace any that you’ve lost overboard, or even just presents for your loved ones back home.
Additionally, there is a provisioning store called The Market that sells necessities like exquisite wines and spirits along with groceries and fresh food from The Bitter End’s own gardens. Regulars of The Bitter End will especially delight with the re-launch of Winston’s Bakery’s famed fresh bread and pastries. Other attractions include a pizza oven, a sunken boat that has been turned into a pub, and a lengthy beach for strolls after lunch. There are five different places to drink and eat, offering anything from quick nibbles to fine dining.
For charterers going to Anegada, the North Sound has always been the ideal starting point. That choice is even more appealing now that the Bitter End is back.
Antigua Sailing Week!
April 29- May 5, 2023
Yachts from all over the world will arrive in English and Falmouth Harbour to participate in one of the world’s major sailing events. From small beginnings this regatta has developed over more than 45 years to become one of the preeminent yacht racing events in the Caribbean and one of the most prestigious worldwide.
Over 100 yachts participate each year, ranging in size from 24 feet to over 100 feet. Consisting of six challenging days of top-class racing, in what are regarded as the best sailing conditions in the world, the regatta has developed into a world-class event. The Regatta attracts serious racing boats including state-of-the-art, high-tech racing machines along with a variety of performance cruising and cruising boats.
Source and Image Credit: Sailingweek.com and Paul Wyeth/ASW
Antigua, known as the home of sailing in the Caribbean Leeward Islands, will be alive with carnivals, music and island-wide parties during this time. An unforgettable week filled with sun, music and social gatherings, and of course, sailing!
Antigua is the true capital of the sailing world so don’t miss the chance to see it all in action.
One of the most fantastic ways to visit Antigua, watch the racing events, and take advantage of the island-wide party is on your own private yacht!
Book your charter now!
Yachting Cocktail Recipe Of The Month
~ TEQUILA SUNRISE ~
The The Tequila Sunrise cocktail reminds one of a summer sunrise with its vivid hue striations. Tequila, grenadine, and orange juice are the only three ingredients in this traditional cocktail, which is served without mixing to retain the color of each layer.
In the early 1970’s, at the Trident pub in Sausalito, California, Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice invented the Tequila Sunrise. The drink gained notoriety after a Rolling Stones member – Mick Jagger or Keith Richards – tasted it during a party to launch the band’s 1972 tour. The band started requesting it at venues across the nation, even giving the tour the moniker “the Tequila Sunrise tour,” which contributed to the drink’s ascent to fame.
The Eagles even recorded a song titled “Tequila Sunrise” on their “Desperado” album the same year as Jose Cuervo posted the recipe on the back of their tequila bottles. The drink gained popularity as a result of these infusions into popular culture, and it has since become a staple of the cocktail canon.
The Tequila Sunrise is relatively simple to create, but it needs to be put together exactly to have that perfect sunrise appearance. A highball glass with ice is filled with tequila and then with orange juice (fresh is ideal). The last ingredient to be added will be the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom because of its density, leaving a crimson layer at the bottom of the glass.
Mix one whenever the mood strikes; it is sweet, cool, and delightful.
Ingredients:
~ 2 ounces blanco tequila
~ 4 ounces orange juice, freshly squeezed
~ 1/4 ounce grenadine
~ Garnish: fresh orange slice
~ Garnish: cherry
Instructions:
1. Add the tequila and then the orange juice to a chilled highball glass filled with ice.
2. Top with the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom of the glass, creating a layered effect.
3. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Destination Spotlight
The Phlegraean Islands, Italy
Sailing the Phlegraean Islands is an experience unlike any other. The islands, located in the Gulf of Naples in southern Italy, are best known for their beautiful beaches, stylish lifestyle and maritime tradition. These islands are well-known among sailing destinations, and a yacht charter is the perfect way to explore these unique islands and get up close to the volcanoes dotted throughout the islands.
The islands are popular with visitors for their dramatic landscapes and views of the Bay of Naples. With crystal-clear waters and stunning scenery, it’s easy to see why these islands are a popular sailing destination.
The islands are home to a number of interesting archaeological sites, and there are many interesting things to see and do on the islands, including hiking, exploring the coastline, visiting the quaint towns and villages, and visiting the ruins of ancient Roman villas. The islands are also popular for their beautiful beaches, and chic restaurants and shops.
The Phlegraean Islands consist of four islands in the Bay of Naples: Ischia, Procida, Vivara and Nisida, with all yacht charters starting from the island of Procida.
The island of Ischia is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the largest of the Phlegraean Islands, and its main town is also called Ischia. The island is known for its volcanic activity, and its thermal springs are a popular tourist destination where visitors flock for treatments that use the island’s popular spring water and volcanic mud. It is also well-known for wine production and for several stunning sights, including the Aragonese Castle, the gardens at La Mortella, Villa Ravino and the Villa la Colombaia.
“The Talented Mr. Ripley” was also filmed here, among many other movies.
Procida is the smallest of the three main islands in the group and is a popular destination for its stunning beaches, Mediterranean atmosphere, and colorful houses. The island is also known for its production of limoncello, an alcoholic beverage made from lemon zest.
Like Ischia, Procida was highlighted in “The Talented Mr Ripley” and has been used as a filming location for several productions, because of its breathtaking panoramas and beautiful Mediterranean architecture. The historical center of Procida is especially scenic, with its colorful structures and picturesque marina.
Vivara is a little satellite island off the coastline of Procida. It is home to a variety of plant and animal life, including several endangered species. Visitors to the island can enjoy hiking, bird watching, and swimming. There is only one building on the island, a “hunting lodge” from the 1860s, which makes it ideal for hikers who wish to have a relaxing adventure in a natural environment. Spectacular views and numerous photo opportunities from the island back towards the Campania coastline are abundant.
Nisida is the last of the Phlegraean Islands. The island’s name derives from the Greek for “nymph”, an allusion to its natural beauty. It is made of a sizable volcanic rock that protrudes from the eastern shore of the magnificent Pozzuoli Sea in the shape of a half-moon. The island has always been shrouded in mystery and has served as a source of inspiration for poets and painters. Visitors are still drawn to the island by its breathtaking beauty. Unfortunately, without special permission from the government, this enigmatic and lush islet can only be seen from a distance, notably from the summit of the magnificent Virgilian Park of Posillipo.
The Phlegraean Islands offer a unique sailing experience, with striking volcanic landscapes and vibrant towns. The islands are also home to a number of historical sites and ruins, making them a fascinating destination for sailors and history buffs alike. Whether you’re looking to explore the islands’ natural beauty or their rich cultural heritage, the Phlegraean Islands are sure to offer an unforgettable sailing vacation experience.
Contact us today to help you get started!
